Fuel unit



Febg l, 193s.

L. M. HAYMQND FUEL UN I T Filed July 24, 1935 INVENTOR. LooM/s M. HA YMoA/o,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a fuel unit of the type formed of waste material; that is, sawdust, wood shavings and the like which is combined with a suitable fire-sustaining binder.

An object of this invention is the provision of a fire aid or wood kindling that can be more readily utilized than the like substances heretofore produced.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a fuel unit which is composed of sawdust, wood shavings, shredded wood or the like combined with an infiammable binderthat can be readily used out of doors byr campers and the like and which can be readily lighted without danger to the user and which will burn or sustain re for a considerable period of time considering the size thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention. Y

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the fuel unit;

Fig. 2 is a second form thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan-sectional view of the formation from which the final form of Fig. 1 is cut;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation-sectional view of the formation from which the form in Fig. 2 is cut; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view through the thereon. c

Throughoutthe several views of the drawing similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

Briefly this invention pertains to the mixing of sawdust, shavings. ground wood and shredded wood with either parain wax or tallow and subjecting the said mixture to a pressure suitable to cause same to have a close-grained texture. Instead of mixing the wood parts with paraffin wax 50 or tallow the same may be mixed with paraffin oil and either a Vegetable glue or animal glue and then the mixture subjected to a pressure and allowed to cool.

This mixture would be made up either in sheets lor relatively long cylinders and the sheets then form illustrated in Fig. 2 as seen from line 5-5 cut into blocks and the cylinders into shorter lengths and nally the said blocks and shortlength cylinders provided with a wick to facilitate lighting thereof.

Specifically it is proposed to utilize a mixture 5 in the ratio of l lb. of parain wax to 21/2 lbs. of finely divided wood; that is, sawdust, wood shavings, ground wood or shredded wood. Substantially this same ratio will obtain if tallow'is used as well as with the paraffin oil and vegetable or animal glue. The/paraf-Iin wax, tallow and glue would be mixed with the Wood while the same are hot and in a liquid state. This mixture is then turned into a mold which would produce either the sheet I0 shown in Fig. 3 or the cylinder l II shown in Fig. 4. At I2 in Fig. 3 is illustrated the cross-section of the sheet while at I3 in Fig. 4 is illustrated the cross-section of the cylinder. The sheet lo is then divided into mocks or st/icks along the dotted lines I4 and I5 while the cylinder II is divided into shorter -lengths indicated by the dotted line I6.

The dividing of the sheet I0 in accordance with the dotted lines I4 and I5 results in the final form of a block or stick II shown in Fig. 1. The cutting of the cylinder II at the dotted lines I6 results in the form I8 of Fig. 2, there shown as having a flat base I8a on which it readily stands upright, and as being provided centrally thereof with a wick I9. It should be understood at this time that while the block or stick I'I of Fig. 1 is not illustrated as having a wick therein said block could readily have the wick supplied thereto.

The method of manufacturing the form of the invention in Fig. 2 consists in placingthe initial mixture in a suitable mold for forming the cylinder I I and then cutting the cylinder into shorter lengths. These shorter lengths are` then provided substantially along the .axis thereof with a hole or aperture 20 through which the wick I9 is drawn. In order to facilitate the threading of the wick I9 through the hole or aperture 20 the said aperture may be slightly larger in diameter than the wick. The wick is then sealed in position by the application of molten paraiiin wax or the like around the wick at the upper end 2I and the lower end 22 thereof. It is, of course, understood that the entire aperture 20 may be filled with the molten wax around the wick I9 after the said wick has been placed therein but it is suflicient if the wick be merely sealed there-v in by the wax rings 2| and 22 sinc'e after the candle I8 has been once lighted and is then extinguished there will be sufficient molten wax on the upper end of the candle to solidify into a sealing ring upon extinguishing of the flame. 'I'he form of the invention illustrated in. Fig. 1, or the blocks or sticks I'I, will be` utilizedfor starting fires in normal fireplaces, such as grates, stoves, furnaces and the like and for igniting the usual fuels burned in such fireplaces. The form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2 will find its greatest use with campers and for temporary outdoor fires by being placed between suitable uprights on which cooking utensils or the like may be placed. It is, of course, understood that the candle form I8 may be employed in the normal fireplaces for igniting heating fuels, while the blocks or sticks Il could be utilized as fuel for out-door fires. By providing the form I8 and supplying same with a Wick it can very readily be lighted and then stood on end, as it has a supporting base, and allowed to burn across its entire cross-section -progressively from its top end downward. Due, however, to the materials, namely the wood content of the unit i8, a much hotter fire is provided which will have greater usefulness for campers than the tallow candle. Also due to the fact that the entire upper surface will burn at one time instead of merely the wick supplying the flame and the tallow the fuel for the flame, the unit affords a much greater heatproducing effect than is had in a candle. It has been found that the unit I8 having the dimension of 11/2 inches in diameter and 3 inches in length will supply a hot flame for a period of forty-five minutes.

lI'his property of supporting a relatively slow steady combustionthroughout a side on which it is ignited, from the initial surface inward, with an effectively hot flame yet without a too rapid exhaustion of the fuel substance is of value when the unit is used as kindling for other fuel, as compared with fuel units having either a preponderance of the less inflammablefibrous material, in which case the combustion cannot be relied upon to continue until the fire is started, or with units in which the highly inflammable material is in too high proportion, in which case the unit burns up too quickly, and for that reason does not start the fire. When used as kindling, the unit may be ignited on one or more sides, and on each side that is ignited there will be a relatively slow steady combustion all over the surface of the side or sides, so that a comparatively small block of the substance is sufficient for starting a re in a household furnace or the like, with certainty that, once ignited, the fire will start without further attention.

I am aware that other fuel compositions have been provided, either wholly or almost wholly of wood ber or other fibrous material, or else containing with such substance large proportions of highly inflammable substances such as oil, resin, sulphur and the like, which are not only offensive due to the fumes produced While burnlng, but are not cleanrto handle, and may be dangerous because they are too highly inflammable; in addition to the too rapid burning which makes them ineffective because they are consumed before they fully ignite the other fuel, as above explained. My composition, in substantially the proportions mentionedyof sawdust or other wood substance or like fibrous material, and paraffin or like material which is clean for handling as well as cleanly burning without offensive odor or danger of explosion, can be inexpensively produced, since the sawdust, for instance, is a by-product of lumber mills,and the parafln, for instance, may be the crude scale which is a by-product of oil refining. It is thus practicably produced, is entirely practical, safe and effective in use, and is commercially profitable so that its widespread use may be a real benefit both to the users and to those who have such by-products for disposal. These advantages are not attainable with compositions calling for proportions of other substances which are not by-products and therefore too expensive, but which render the use and operation of the material less satisfactory as above noted.

Having thus disclosed a preferred composition and pointed out its advantages over compositions of the prior art when made up in suitable units substantially as set forth, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An article of manufacture, a fuel unit or kindler consisting substantially of an admixture of finely divided wood and paraffin, in the approximate proportion of 21/ to 1 by weight, compressed into a cylindrical shape having a diameter and length whereby the unit or kindler is provided with a supporting base at one end of the cylinder and may be stood upright thereon, said cylinder having an aperture extending the length thereof, and a wick in said aperture and projecting above the upper end of the cylinder whereby the unit or kindler may be lighted and, due to the composition of said cylinder, whereby the fire is confined to the upper end of the cylinder.

2. An article of manufacture, a fuel unit or kindler consisting substantially of an admixture of finely divided wood and paraffin, in the approximate proportion of 21/2 to 1 by weight, compressed into a cylindrical shape having a diameter and length whereby the unit or kindler is provided with a supporting base at one end and may be stood upright thereon, said cylinder having an aperture extending the length thereof, a wick in said aperture and projecting above the upper end of the cylinder whereby the unit or kindler may be lighted and, due to the composition of said cylinder, whereby the fire is confined sealing the wick in the cylinder aperture.

LOOMIS M. HAYMOND. 

